


Ephemeral

by Jiemme



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 16:31:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8497378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jiemme/pseuds/Jiemme
Summary: Moments may be not last forever, but Haruka always makes them worthwhile.(or 15 +1 short and sweet moments between Makoto and Haruka living together as roommates during college)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wechoosewhatwearesammy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wechoosewhatwearesammy/gifts).



> So... this is my entry for the Makoto Birthday exchange! :D I couldn't choose between domestic fluff scenarios so here's a bunch of them! 16 short stories because it's 2016. XD This basically follows Free! Eternal Summer, but with Haru and Makoto as roommates and boyfriends attending different universities. I hope you like it, wechoosewhatwearesammy! Happy Makoto Day!!! :) I'm also sorry if my writing isn't the best, but I hope this collection of short stories is worth your time!
> 
> EDIT: SO IT'S 1-17-16 NOW SO HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY, MAKOTO <3 AND HAPPY MAKOTO DAY TO EVERYONE! :'D

**(1)**

Makoto slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the streams of light slipping in the bedroom. Inhaling deeply, he slowly turned to his other side and pulled his blanket over his head. It was a Saturday, he remembered, and his sleepy thoughts convinced him to indulge in a few more minutes of shut-eye.

“Makoto.”

“Mmn. Just a few minutes, Haru-chan,” Makoto whined, curling his body.

 He heard a soft chuckle from behind, followed by soft footsteps and the bedroom door creaking. A smile graced his lips, and he gave a final yawn before his eyelids fluttered shut. He knew Haru would come back and cruelly pull the blanket off of him, but that was still a moment meant for later. 

 

 

  **(2)**

Makoto wasn’t a morning person, but whenever Haru woke him up every other Sunday for some spring cleaning, he obliged with a sleepy smile on his face. It was worth sacrificing potential hours of sleep for this routine, as Makoto found it extremely satisfying to see their toilet sparkle or their apartment floor completely dust-free.

 However, what Makoto loved most about spring cleaning was how he and Haru would cuddle on the couch after taking long baths.

 “You smell nice,” is what Makoto would often hear from Haru.

 “You do too, Haru-chan,” is what Makoto would reply, before he would goofily smile and hug Haru even tighter.

 

 

**(3)**

 

“Haru, you have to finish your painting.”

“Not until I beat you.”

Makoto failed to suppress soft giggles as he watched Haru’s eyes narrow at his 3DS screen, eyebrows knitting together and nose crinkling cutely. They had been playing Super Smash Bros. for the past hour, and the blue-eyed boy insisted he could beat Makoto in five out of eight games. Contrary to what Nagisa knew, Haru could be just as good as Makoto with videogames if he actually practiced.

He did win three out of five matches already, but Makoto always put up a fight.

Especially if Haru promised to teach him how to bake a chocolate cake if he lost.

 

 

**(4)**

“Where’d Onii-chan go, Haru-chan?”

Makoto easily slipped in their room unnoticed. It had been a skill he developed ever since he and Haru decided to move in together.

He couldn’t help it. It was adorable seeing his boyfriend video chat with his younger siblings.

“Toilet,” Haru replied monotonously, still unaware of Makoto’s presence in the room. The twins’ laughter echoed from Makoto’s laptop speakers. “What’s funny? You two go to the toilet all the time.”

Ran’s laughter boomed. “Oh, something funny happened in the toilet the other day,” she said. Makoto could only imagine the sinister look on his sister’s face with the gut feeling that his brother was somehow involved in that funny incident.

“Oh?” Haru asked.

“Don’t listen to her, Haru-chan,” Ren cried.

“I haven’t even said anything,” Ran retorted.

Before his siblings could bicker, he quickly hopped onto the bed. Haru’s body and Makoto’s laptop rose from the bed as the mattress bounced. He squeaked a soft “Eek!” as he tried to grab hold of his laptop. The twins began laughing, their smiles plastered on the laptop monitor, but Haru’s expression was far from theirs.

“Makoto,” he grumbled.

“Hehe, sorry about that, Haru,” the green-eyed boy replied. Much to his relief, Haru’s unimpressed look transformed into a smirk, and…

“O-ow, H-Haru! S-Stop!” Makoto gasped between laughs as Haruka poked and tickled his sides.

 

 

**(5)**

 "Don't be afraid to crack the egg open," Haru said as he watched Makoto hold the white chicken egg with shaky hands. Makoto winced as remembered how his last omelet almost had shell fragments if not for Haru’s intervention. He held the egg close to his chest, imagining how badly he could mess such a simple task up, but gets distracted with a snorting sound beside him.

 He turned to his side and saw the corner of Haru's lips curl into a teasing smirk. Makoto felt a sudden rush of heat on his face and ears.

 "It's not funny, Haru-chan," Makoto huffed, lowering his arms and pouting. The blue-eyed boy's hands slowly hold Makoto's, squeezing them softly, before taking the egg away from his hold.

 "Drop the -chan," Haru replied.

 "Can I try again next time, Haru?" he then asked. Haru didn't hesitate to nod.

 "Okay. Watch me for now."

 The side of the egg was tapped against the ceramic bowl in front of them. Haru's fingers neatly pulled the egg shell halves apart, letting the egg whites slither onto the bowl, followed suit by the large, sun-colored yolk.

 His face was still flushed, Makoto was sure of it. Breaking an egg was that easy, and yet...

 "Makoto."

 "Hmm?" Makoto raised his head, and a finger coated in flour traced his cheeks. He blinked in confusion and stared at Haru, who wore one of his rare small smiles.

 "Don't worry too much. I got eggshells in the mix when I first tried."

 It made his heart swell knowing Haru was concerned enough to ease his thoughts before they crumbled his self-esteem.

 

 

**(6)**

 "Haru?"

 Makoto had just left his first class of the day, surprised to find Haru standing outside the building.  He quickly checked his phone for the time and day - _Wednesday_ , 10:07 AM. Haru's first class on Wednesdays began at `1, and he usually spent the morning either soaking in the tub or jogging around his campus. 

 The boy walked towards him and took his hand, leading him to the direction of the school gate.

 "Haru, do you need anything?" Makoto asked, voice pitch higher than usual. Haru didn't look back and continued walking, holding Makoto's hand even tighter.

 They reached the corner of the building closest to the gate when Haru stopped on his tracks and spun around to meet Makoto's eyes. Makoto almost stumbled backwards when Haru stood on his tiptoes, lips close to his ear, feeling goosebumps as Haru exhaled hot breath.

 "Play hooky today, Makoto," Haru whispered in _that_ voice, tickling the curves of Makoto's ear and raising hairs on his neck.

 The day suddenly felt hotter. "H-Haru!" he yelped, tugging the collar of his shirt. He turned his face away and covered it with his hands before his knees would give out. "A-at this time of the morning? I s-still have classes! Y-you still have c-classes! A-and swimming practice t-too!"

 Two hands with calloused fingers cupped his face. Makoto peeked from the spaces of his fingers, squeaking as Haru's intense stare stoked the heat of his cheeks.

 "Cute."

 "...eh?"

 His hands left his face, but Haru's didn't.

 "I was kidding. I just want to have lunch with you before my first class," Haru explained. Makoto could only gawk at him.

 "You're so mean, Haru," Makoto sighed, shoulders sagging. His heart couldn't handle this kind of sudden teasing, even from his own boyfriend. He pouted and crossed his arms. Haruka softly squeezed Makoto's cheeks, giving the green-eyed boy's lips a tender peck.

 "We'll go to that cake place you like," Haru said.

 Makoto answered with a bashful smile.

 

 

**(7)**

"Kisumi uploaded old pictures, Haru,” Makoto cheered as he scrolled through his social media account on his phone. Haru, who was lying down on his back beside him, rolled over onto his abdomen and pressed his body closer to Makoto’s.

 “What old pictures?” Haru asked, leering at the phone screen. Makoto quickly pressed the screen, showing a picture of the two of them alongside their old teammates, Asahi and Ikuya, after their first relay together. He scrolled further to a picture of Kisumi grinning at the camera while Haru and Asahi were staring each other down. Makoto looked exasperated in the background, while Ikuya continued eating his lunch.

 “I remember this,” Makoto laughed. “This was the first time we all ate together in the school rooftop. It was really fun. You and Asahi were arguing about how you cooked the mackerel.”

 Haru shook his head. “He always criticizes my cooking.”

 Makoto watched in amusement as Haru himself scrolled through the album of pictures. Several pictures were of Kisumi playing basketball or Kisumi visiting different places, but most of them were pictures of him with Haru, Makoto, Ikuya, and Asahi. There were stolen shots of them taken during their past lunches together or their hijinks in the classroom. There was one with Asahi riding a broom around the classroom, another with Ikuya and Makoto laughing together during a basketball game between their classes, one with Haru staring at the classroom window, and…

 One with Makoto holding a stick of chocolate Pocky with his teeth, looking at the camera with innocent eyes.

 “Ah… this was during Valentine’s Day, I think,” Makoto recalled. “Kisumi took a picture while I was trying to eat it.”

 Haru’s eyes narrowed, showing that expression he always saved for Kisumi. It took Makoto months within his relationship with Haru to realize that his boyfriend easily got jealous when Kisumi was in the picture.

 He softly laughed to himself, finding Haru’s grumpy look absolutely adorable, before brushing his lips against Haru’s cheek.

 “Don’t worry, Haru-chan. He made Ikuya and Asahi do that too. It was actually very weird…”

 “He’s weird,” Haru mumbled, scrolling to the next picture that featured young Kisumi with young Rin and young Sousuke.

 

 

 

**(8)**

The silence in the room only amplified the clock’s ticking sounds, and Makoto wanted nothing more than to drop his pen and sleep.

 But he had a major exam tomorrow, and he felt his stomach lurch just by thinking about it.

 He didn’t want to fail. But he still had to study.

 Haru had been more than understanding for the past few days. He gave Makoto tea and snacks when he noticed little cues such as Makoto starting to pace around the room while reading his notes. He took it upon himself to wrap Makoto with a thick blanket whenever Makoto began studying on the floor with crossed legs. He even lifted Makoto to bed during the three times he fell asleep while studying.

 Makoto was thankful to have Haru, and he felt extremely guilty he hadn’t been paying attention to Haru as much as he wanted to.

 He glanced at the clock and flinched. _10:59_.

 He wanted to sleep. But he shouldn’t fail his exam. He didn’t want self-doubt to engulf him, not when he’s doing quite well in school, but the stress of trying to get better grades was too much. No, he wasn’t doing horribly, but then he sometimes ended up comparing himself to his classmates.

 “You should sleep,” came Haru’s voice from the doorway. His voice was stern, like the expression of his eyes.

 “But Haru, I have to study,” Makoto replied.

 Haruka sighed, and his eyes softened with concern. “I’ll wake you up. Is 6 AM okay? Your exam is still at 2 PM anyway.”

 Makoto looked at his notes, then back at Haru.

 “You’re tired, Makoto. Please.”

 “Promise you’ll wake me up, Haru?”

 “Promise.”

 

**(9)**

“Haru! H-Haru, I did it!” Makoto squealed.

 He raised halves of the eggshell he just cracked, waving it around in front of Haruka’s face like an overexcited child. His boyfriend nodded with a content smile on his face.

 “Great job, Makoto.”

 Makoto grinned and couldn’t help himself, leaning forward to give Haru a kiss on the cheek.

 “Thank you for being patient with me, Haru-chan.”

 The reliable head turn came. “Drop the –chan.” And Haru’s cheeks were dusted pink.

 

**(10)**

Makoto fumbled around the living room the second time today, lifting the couch pillows and internally screaming when he found nothing underneath them. His glasses were missing, but he was pretty sure it was around their flat somewhere. He double checked his and Haru’s bed, both over and under, rummaged through his and Haru’s dresser drawers, and organized his and Haru’s book bags, to no avail.

Those frames were new! How could he lose them so quickly? All he did was take a nap!

He heard a clicking sound and watched Haru enter their flat, hair shiny and slightly flattened from dampness.

“Haru!” Makoto screeched.

The blue-eyed boy jumped, looking at Makoto worriedly while the latter rushed to him. Makoto would always greet Haru with, “How was swimming practice?” and not with an ear-splitting wail and shoulder shaking.

“W-what? Did something…”

“My glasses! T-they’re gone!” Makoto interrupted, voice high pitched and almost cracking. “I’ve been looking for them for hours!”

Haru, surprisingly, only raised a brow.

“Makoto…”

Haru’s hands slowly reached to touch Makoto’s hair and produced Makoto’s eyeglasses in a second.

“…I want to cry.” Makoto slammed his head onto Haru’s shoulders, feeling absolutely ridiculous as tears welled up in his eyes. But Haru placed a hand on Makoto’s hair, stroking it gently, and laughed so heartily and adorably that Makoto felt somewhat better that he ‘misplaced’ his glasses.

 "It's okay, Makoto," Haru assured between chuckles.

 

**(11)**

 

Usually, Haru would wash the dishes while Makoto cleaned the table. But Makoto insisted since they had used up more plates than usual, considering that Haru taught Makoto how to cook several dishes in one go. Thankfully, none of them had mackerel in the recipe, since Haru said, “Cooking mackerel is a whole new level. Improve your omurice first.”

Makoto was pretty sure Haru was just saying that, though.

He was excited to taste the okonomiyaki and honey soy sauce chicken he and Haru had made. Haru had given him tips to keep in mind when making the sauce for the chicken and showed him how to hold the frying pan without fear. He had shown Makoto how to mix ingredients in the pan before letting Makoto do it himself. He told Makoto one of his missions was to ensure Makoto’s fear of pouring oil on a hot frying pan would be placated, and Makoto had to admit Haru was doing a good job with this.

He was thankful Haru was so patient with him. He held Makoto’s hand whenever he had to cut vegetables. He gave Makoto instructions in a calm and gentle voice. He minimized giving praises, but still did so whenever Makoto had that little shine in his eyes after doing something he labeled as difficult.

He scrubbed the plate in his hand, amused at the bubbles forming on the surface. He phased his finger through the foamy bubbles and smiled.

“Haru?”

“Hmm?”

Makoto smeared the bubbles on Haru’s cheek, giggles erupting from his lips.

Haru’s face remained plain as he glanced at the soap in his hands. He raised his hand right in front of Makoto’s face, palm faced upwards, and blew the bubbles. They quickly flew straight at Makoto, who kept laughing while scooping up the mountain of foamy bubbles on the sink.

 

 

**(12)**

“Do you think we can ask the landlord if we can keep Kitty-chan?”

Haru’s face scrunched at the nickname. “Kitty-chan?”

Makoto stuck his tongue out. “You’re one to talk, Haru. Remember Saba 1 to Saba 7?”

“It’s easier to remember their names,” the blue-eyed boy retorted.

Haru stared at the cream-colored cat in Makoto’s arms and sighed. Makoto had grown too attached to the cat that usually showed up in the gym of his university campus during afternoons. “Kitty-chan” had been Makoto’s company whenever he visited the campus and waited for Haru until his training was over.

“Let’s ask him next time,” Haru finally said, smirking to himself when Makoto placed Kitty-chan beside him before tackling Haru into a hug.

“Thank you, Haru-chan!” he cheered, rocking Haru back and forth with a child-like smile on his face.

 

**(13)**

“Wow, Haru-chan, this is delicious! If only Rei-chan were here, he'd like this!”

 Makoto smiled. Ever since Nagisa joined several organizations in his university and applied for a part time job, the young blond only had time to visit them once in a blue moon. He would admit to missing their younger friend, as compared to Haru, since the latter always found it a bit disheartening their groceries were often used up to serve Nagisa more than them. Makoto knew, though, that Haru still felt flattered that Nagisa loved his cooking.

 He and Haru watched Nagisa gorge himself with green curry. Haru looked prouder than usual.

 “Haru-chan, you okay?” Nagisa asked between bites. “Did I say something weird?”

 “Makoto made that, I just helped.”

 

**(14)**

 

Makoto often wore his old Iwatobi swim team jacket on cold days or when he brought it to school to shield himself from the air conditioner’s cold. It also gave him a sense of pride for his hometown, as his college friends always asked him about Iwatobi whenever he wore the jacket. “Sounds like a cool place!” they would say. “Bring us there sometime when you visit, Tachibana.”

He placed his jacket in the washing machine, tossing a few other long sleeved clothes afterwards, and stopped when he found himself holding Haru’s current school swim team’s jacket. He rubbed the fabric with his fingers, feeling the smooth synthetic nylon.

It looked durable, but was it warm enough for Haru? Makoto stood for a minute, jacket in hand, before concluding he could only test it by wearing it. But… no, it wouldn’t fit him.

Maybe he could try poking his arm through one sleeve, since it was enough to feel the jacket’s interior.

“What are you doing?”

Makoto jumped in place, feeling his stomach turn inside out in embarrassment. He turned around and saw Haru holding an armful of clothes.

“I-uh, I wanted to… uh, see if it’s comfy…?” Makoto squeaked. He felt his face burn at Haru’s unconvinced stare.

“Boyfriend jacket, huh?” Haru mumbled. He aimed a small smirk at red-faced Makoto.

“N-no, no! I really just wanted to see if it’s warm!” the green-eyed boy insisted, pulling out his arm from the jacket.

“I’ll have a new one made,” Haru continued. “That one’s too fitted.”

Was it really? Makoto could still fit his arm through the armhole…

“You don’t have to,” Makoto said. “This still fits you fine.”

“If I can wear your clothes, you should at least be able to wear some of mine,” Haru replied before placing the clothes he carried into the clothes hamper. Makoto noticed a hint of teasing in his tone.

_Boyfriend jacket, huh?_

So that’s what amused Haru so much.

 

  **(15)**

 

“Makoto?”

Makoto tore his gaze from the dark periwinkle sky, eyebrows closely knitted together. Haru’s voice was coated in worry.

“Is something wrong, Haru?” he asked, moving closer to Haru. The other boy pushed his body away from the wall he was leaning from, exhaling.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Haru replied, raising a brow. “You looked sad while looking at the sky.”

Makoto’s eyes widened. “I’m not sad. I was just thinking.”

He was being truthful. He had wanted to just gaze at the night sky after weeks of staring at walls of text. His mind had been buzzing about school requirements to meet, ranging from papers to reading assignments to exams. It was a blessing enough that he had a regular sleeping schedule he adhered to religiously, save for nights before exams, and Haru made sure that Makoto always ate healthily. But he wanted a breather, for once. He had many ways to relax, especially with Haru by his side, but he realized he hadn’t been able to look at the evening sky properly for months now.

He remembered nights he spent at Haru’s, gazing at the night sky and giving up counting stars because they were so plentiful. When they were younger, they would even visit the beach, sometimes without telling their parents, and just rest their backs on the sandy shore while watching the evening sky.

Makoto realized Iwatobi’s sky was clearer. Brighter, even, since more stars could be seen, and the moonlight was vivid.

“I was thinking how I could count stars here in Tokyo,” Makoto said. “Not like in Iwatobi.”

Haru nodded. “Yeah.”

Makoto leaned back on the window pane and glanced at the view outside. “Earlier, I counted nineteen stars.”

“I counted twenty,” Haru replied.

Makoto laughed softly. “You counted, Haru-chan?”

“Drop the –chan.”

He laughed even louder and turned to his left, noticing Haru was closer than he had thought.

Haru moved even closer until Makoto saw nothing but the most beautiful shades of blue. His eyes fluttered shut, and he felt oh-so familiar lips press tenderly against his.

The night sky wasn’t as bright as Iwatobi’s. Makoto’s heart, however, was even more filled with love than his last night in his hometown.

 

**(+1)**

Haru loved weekend mornings.

He and Makoto didn't have classes, so he didn't have to watch his dear boyfriend trod in the bathroom while yawning. Makoto wasn't a morning person, and he could get grumpier than Haru himself if his mornings didn't go well. He always let Makoto sleep in but made sure he never goes past 11 AM except when he had an exam the evening before.

Haru was a morning person, and he always spent his first minutes gazing at Makoto's sleeping face, sometimes smiling, often calm, always beautiful. His breaths were always slow, soft, and relaxed. Makoto rarely had nightmares, much to Haru's relief.

He could honestly stare at Makoto forever, but sleep robbed from Haru the warmth and vibrance of Makoto's green eyes and the gentleness and affection in Makoto's melodious voice.

Haru would place a soft kiss on Makoto's forehead every morning as his silent whisper of love before slowly crawling off the bed, making sure Makoto wouldn't be disturbed. Despite how he managed to shower Makoto with more affection through his actions every passing day, Haru still felt he should one day put his feelings more into words. Makoto never complained, though. He understood Haru completely, and that alone made Haru want to voice out his feelings the same way he could easily act them out.

He would stare back at Makoto's sleeping form wrapped under blankets and smile to himself, leaving the room to make the next big decision of the day.

"Bath... or breakfast..."

Underneath the blankets, Makoto smiled while dreaming.


End file.
